CN1462063A - Base plate processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

This substrate processing apparatus has a rotor (45) that rotates a plurality of substrates arranged in parallel at appropriate intervals. The substrate (W) is rotated by the rotor (45), and a chemical solution is supplied to the substrate (W) to perform substrate processing. The device, wherein the rotor (45) has at least one holding member (95, 96, 97, 98, 99) for holding the edges of the plurality of substrates (W) arranged in parallel and at least one edge for the substrates (W). A pressing member (100) that provides and maintains a pressing force. The pressing member (100) always provides a pressing force to the edge of the above-mentioned substrate (W) when the above-mentioned rotor (45) is stationary and when it is rotating, and is kept at No misalignment occurs between the edge of the substrate (W) and each of the holding members (95, 96, 97, 98, 99). Thereby, chipping of the edge of the substrate is prevented, the life of the holding rod is extended, and chemical liquid treatment can be performed.

Description

Substrate processing equipment

technical field

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for performing cleaning treatment and the like on substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass for LCD substrates.

Background technique

For example, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor equipment, a substrate processing apparatus is used that removes particles, organic pollutants, etc. from the wafer by spraying a processing liquid such as chemical solution and pure water on the semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer"). As such a substrate processing apparatus, there is known a substrate processing apparatus having a rotor that rotates a wafer group in which a plurality of, for example, 26 wafers are arranged at appropriate intervals. The rotor has a plurality of, for example, six holding rods arranged in parallel, and 26 holding grooves for inserting the edges of 26 wafers at appropriate intervals in the longitudinal direction are formed on each holding rod. With these six holding rods, the edge of the wafer is held at six places, and the wafer can be held stably. In addition, wafers can be held in 26 holding groove groups, and 26 wafers can be arranged in parallel at appropriate intervals. By rotating the wafer with the above-configured rotor and spraying the chemical solution or the like, it is possible to remove particles and the like from the wafer without omission.

However, in the conventional substrate processing apparatus, there is a problem that when the rotation of the rotor is accelerated or decelerated, the rotation speed of the wafer does not follow the rotation speed of the rotor, and the phenomenon that the wafer slips in the holding groove occurs, and the edge of the wafer Be chipped off to produce particles. Also, since the retaining grooves are worn due to slippage, the retaining rods need to be replaced frequently.

In order to solve the above problems, it has been considered to use a stopper that applies a pressing force to the edge of the wafer by centrifugal force, but there is a problem that sufficient pressing force cannot be obtained if the rotational speed of the rotor is not high. In addition, elastic members such as rubber used for such stoppers to securely hold wafers do not have sufficient chemical resistance and heat resistance for chemical liquid treatment on wafers.

Contents of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus which prevents the edge of the substrate from being chipped, prolongs the life of the holding rod, and can perform chemical liquid processing.

The first feature of the present invention is a substrate processing apparatus having a rotor that rotates a plurality of substrates arranged in parallel at appropriate intervals, and a substrate processing apparatus that processes substrates while the substrate is rotated by the rotor, and the rotor has at least one of the plurality of substrates that maintain the parallel arrangement. A holding member for the edge of the substrate and at least one pressing member that applies and maintains a pressing force to the edge of the substrate, and the pressing member always applies a pressing force to the edge of the substrate when the rotor is stationary or rotating , so as to keep no offset between the edge of the above-mentioned substrate and the above-mentioned holding members. At this time, when the rotor speeds up or slows down, no particles will be generated due to chipping off the edge of the wafer. In addition, the holding groove is prevented from being worn out, so that the life can be extended.

A second feature of the present invention is that the pressing member includes a plurality of pressing members arranged corresponding to the plurality of substrates, and a fork that supports the plurality of pressing members in parallel. Here, compared with the case where a plurality of pressing blocks and the fork lever are integrally processed, the machining accuracy of the pressing blocks can be improved and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

The third feature of the present invention is that the pressing stopper has an abutting portion that abuts against the edge of the substrate and an elastically deformable deformation portion, and when the abutting portion is pressed against the edge of the substrate and moves, the deformation occurs in the deformation portion so that The above pressing force works.

A fourth feature of the present invention is that a substantially V-shaped groove is formed in the abutting portion, and the edge of the substrate is inserted into and held in the groove.

According to a fifth feature of the present invention, the abutting portion has a coefficient of friction such that misalignment does not occur between the edge of the substrate and each of the holding members.

A sixth feature of the present invention is that it is configured so that the amount of the deflection can be adjusted. In this way, the pressing force against the wafer can be adjusted.

According to a seventh feature of the present invention, the abutting portion is provided on a side opposite to a position where the substrate is loaded and unloaded from the rotor. Here, when the wafer is carried in, the edge of the wafer can be smoothly inserted into the substantially V-shaped groove of the mating portion, and when the wafer is carried out, the edge of the wafer can be smoothly pulled out of the groove.

According to an eighth feature of the present invention, the pressing member further includes a guide portion that guides the edge of the substrate before the V-shaped groove guides the edge of the substrate to the mating portion.

According to a ninth feature of the present invention, the pressing member further has an abutting surface that abuts against an edge of the substrate.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the pressing member has at least one drain hole through which liquid is drained from around the fork by centrifugal force as the rotor rotates.

An eleventh feature of the present invention is that it includes a stopper that restricts rotation of the pressing member.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the pressing member has at least one drain hole through which liquid is discharged from the periphery of the brake by centrifugal force as the rotor rotates.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the pressing member has at least one drain hole through which liquid is discharged from between the edge of the substrate and the pressing member by centrifugal force as the rotor rotates.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, each side surface of the plurality of push members is brought into contact with each other and supported side by side, and each side surface has at least one discharge groove for discharging liquid from around the fork lever. In this way, for example, during the spin drying process, the liquid adhering to the pressing member can be smoothly discharged, and the time required for the drying process can be shortened.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the push stopper has chemical resistance to a chemical solution.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the pusher has heat resistance.

The seventeenth feature of the present invention is that the above-mentioned holding member is provided in plurality, and at least one of the plurality of holding members is a movable holding member so as to obtain an open state in which the above-mentioned substrate can be carried in and out of the above-mentioned rotor and can move the above-mentioned substrate. Maintain the closed state in the above mentioned rotor.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the pressing member is provided at a position facing the movable holding member across the center of the rotor.

The nineteenth feature of the present invention is that the pressing member has a fork extending in the direction in which the plurality of substrates are arranged, and a pressing piece fitted with the fork, the pressing piece having a cylindrical shape surrounding the fork and A main body extending in the arrangement direction of the substrates, and a plurality of deforming portions protruding from the main body corresponding to the plurality of substrates and elastically deforming the main body at the same time.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, the main body has an abutting surface that abuts against the outer edge of the substrate, and the deformation portion has an abutting portion that presses the outer edge of the substrate at its tip.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning processing unit and an object loading unit in which the substrate processing apparatus of the present embodiment is installed.

2 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus in a state where the inner chamber is placed inside the outer chamber.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rotor.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 4 .

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a structure of a holding bar that supports opening and closing by a rotor.

FIG. 7A is a plan view of the push member, FIG. 7B is a side view of the push member, and FIG. 7C is a front view showing an enlarged butt joint of the push member.

Fig. 8 is a perspective explanatory view explaining a state in which the push members are supported in parallel and are brought into contact with a wafer.

9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 4 , and is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a structure in which a holding bar as a pressing member is supported by a rotor.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a rotor of another embodiment.

FIG. 11A is a plan view of another embodiment of a push stopper, and FIG. 11B is a side view of the push stopper.

FIG. 12A is a plan view of a pressing member which is integrally formed, and FIG. 12B is a side view of the pressing member.

Embodiment of the invention

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on a substrate processing apparatus for cleaning a wafer as an example of a substrate. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a substrate processing apparatus 12 of this embodiment is installed in a cleaning processing unit 1 of the cleaning processing system.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the cleaning processing system includes a cleaning processing unit 1 for performing chemical treatment and drying processing on a wafer W, and a loading unit 3 for loading and unloading a carrier C into and out of the cleaning processing unit 1 . A partition wall 5 arranged vertically is provided between the cleaning treatment unit 1 and the loading part 3 .

The cleaning processing unit 1 has a carrier waiting section 11 for making the carrier C wait, the substrate processing apparatus 12 of this embodiment provided above the carrier waiting section 11, and the substrate processing apparatus 12 between the carrier C waiting by the carrier waiting section 11 and the substrate processing apparatus 12. A wafer moving mechanism 14 that moves the wafer W up and down between them.

The loading unit 3 has a loading table 20 on which the carrier C is placed, and a carrier transfer mechanism 21 that moves the carrier C in the horizontal direction and loads and unloads the carrier C into and out of the cleaning processing unit 1 . In the carrier C placed on the stage 20 from a container loading/unloading unit (not shown) of the cleaning processing system, a plurality of wafers W such as 26 are accommodated vertically and arranged at appropriate intervals from each other.

An opening 26 that can be opened and closed by a shutter 25 is formed in the partition wall 5 . When carrying the carrier C into and out of the cleaning processing unit 1 , the shutter 25 is opened, and the carrier C and the carrier transfer mechanism 21 pass through the opening 26 .

A plurality of wafers W are vertically accommodated in the carrier C that passes through the opening 26 and is conveyed to the carrier waiting section 11 by the stage 20 . The wafer moving mechanism 14 inserts the wafer holding member 31 into the carrier C from below the carrier C waiting for the carrier waiting section 11, and lifts up the plurality of wafers W by the wafer holding member 31 while maintaining a state of being perpendicular to each other and arranged at appropriate intervals. The wafer holding member 31 is moved upward, and a plurality of wafers W are carried into the upper substrate processing apparatus 12 . On the other hand, when a plurality of wafers W are unloaded from the substrate processing apparatus 12, the plurality of wafers W are received by the wafer holding member 31, and the plurality of wafers W are supported in a vertical state arranged at appropriate intervals by moving downward as they are. The wafer holding member 31 accommodates a plurality of wafers W in the carrier C, and the wafer holding member 31 passes through the carrier C and descends. In addition, the wafer holding member 31 is fixed to the upper end of the lifting member 34 driven and raised by the lifting mechanism 33 , and is vertically moved up and down by the lifting member 34 to move up and down.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the substrate processing apparatus 12 has a support wall 42 arranged vertically, a motor 43 fixed on the support wall 42 to make the rotation center axis RO horizontal, a rotation shaft 44 of the motor 43 , and a rotation shaft 44 mounted on the rotation shaft. The rotor 45 at the front end of 44, the cylindrical housing 46 surrounding the rotating shaft 44, is configured to be supported by the housing 46, surround the outer cavity 47 of the rotor 45, and move to the inner side of the outer cavity 47, and carry out medicine in a state surrounding the rotor 45. Fluid-handled inner chamber 48.

The rotating shaft 44 of the motor 43 passes through the vertical wall 47a of the motor 43 side of the outer chamber 47 via a bearing not shown, and protrudes into the outer chamber 47a. The front end portion of the rotating shaft 44 is connected to the rear portion of the rotor 45 . A sealing mechanism (not shown) that seals between the rotor and the rotating shaft 44 is provided at a central portion of the vertical wall 47a.

The rotor 45 holds a plurality of (for example, 26) substantially disk-shaped wafers W vertically in a state where the wafers are arranged in a horizontal direction at appropriate intervals in a posture parallel to each other. The center of each wafer W held by the rotor 45 is located on the rotation center axis RO of the motor 43 and the rotation shaft 44 . In addition, when the rotor 45 is rotated by the motor 43 via the rotation shaft 44, the rotor 45 and the plurality of wafers W held by the rotor 45 can be rotated integrally. The structure of this rotor 45 will be described later.

The outer chamber 47 has cylindrical outer cylinders 47 c provided at predetermined intervals outside the rotor 45 . In addition, the outer cylinder 47c retreats to the right side in FIG. 1 when the wafer W is carried in, and waits while surrounding the outside of the casing 46 .

The inner chamber 48 has a cylindrical inner cylinder 48c having a smaller diameter than the outer cylinder 47c of the outer chamber 47, and the inner cylinder 48c is movable between the liquid medicine processing position in FIG. 1 and the withdrawn position in FIG. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 , when the inner cylinder 48c is at the retracted position outside the outer chamber 47 , a processing space S1 partitioned by the outer chamber 47 is formed. As shown in FIG. 2 , when the inner cylinder 48c is at the chemical solution processing position inside the outer chamber 47, a treatment space S2 is formed separated by the inner cylinder 48c and the vertical walls 47a, 47b. In addition, the processing space S1 and the processing space S2 are closed spaces by a sealing mechanism. In the treatment space S2, a chemical solution treatment process and a spin-off treatment process described later are performed, and in the treatment space S1, a rinsing treatment process and a drying treatment process are performed.

Two discharge nozzles 61 are arranged above the processing space S1 with the cylinder axis direction of the outer cylinder 47 c as the longitudinal direction. A plurality of discharge ports 62 arranged in parallel in the cylindrical axial direction are attached to each discharge nozzle 61 . A supply pipe 64 is connected to each discharge nozzle 61 , and a pure water supply source (not shown) passes through this supply pipe 64 , and pure water (DIW) as a rinse liquid is discharged from each discharge port 62 to the wafer W. In addition, IPA vapor is discharged to the wafer W from each discharge port 62 through the supply pipe 64 from an IPA supply source not shown.

Above the processing space S2, two discharge nozzles 71 are arranged with the cylinder axis direction of the inner cylinder 48c as the longitudinal direction. A plurality of discharge ports 72 arranged in parallel in the cylindrical axial direction are attached to each discharge nozzle 71 . As shown in FIG. 2 , a supply pipe 74 is connected to each discharge nozzle 71 , and a chemical solution supply source (not shown) passes through the supply pipe 74 to discharge the chemical solution onto the wafer W from each discharge port 72 .

In the lower part of the vertical wall 47b on the front end side of the outer chamber 47, a first liquid discharge port 81 is provided to discharge the used liquid medicine or the like from the processing space S2. The second liquid discharge port 82 for discharging used pure water and the like. In addition, a first liquid discharge pipe 83 and a second liquid discharge pipe 84 are respectively connected to the first liquid discharge port 81 and the second liquid discharge port 82 .

A first exhaust port 85 for exhausting gas from the processing space S2 is provided on the upper portion of the vertical wall 47b, and a second exhaust port 86 is provided above the first exhaust port 85 to exhaust gas from the processing space S1. A first exhaust pipe 87 and a second exhaust pipe 88 are respectively connected to the first exhaust port 85 and the second exhaust port 86 .

Next, the structure of the rotor 45 will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the rotor 45 . As shown in FIG. 3 , the rotor 45 has a pair of disks 91 and 92 arranged at predetermined intervals into which 26 wafers W can be inserted. The disk 91 is disposed on the side of the vertical wall 47 a of the outer chamber 47 on the side of the motor 43 , and is attached to the front end of the rotating shaft 44 . The disk 92 is arranged on the side of the vertical wall 47b on the front end side of the outer chamber 47 . In addition, six holding rods 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 that work together and hold the edges of the 26 wafers W inserted between these disks 91, 92 are on the circumference centered on the rotation center axis RO, respectively. Posture configurations parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. In addition, holding rods 100 , which are pressing members that apply a pressing force to the edges of the wafer W held by the holding rods 95 to 99 , are arranged parallel to the holding rods 95 to 99 .

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the rotor 45 taken along line I-I in FIG. 2 , showing the posture of the rotor 45 when loading and unloading the wafer W. As shown in FIG. The space surrounded by the holding rods 95 to 100 serves as a holding space S3 for the wafer W. By holding the edge of the wafer W by these six holding rods 95 to 100, the wafer W loaded in the rotor 45 is held in a vertical posture. When loading and unloading the wafer W from the rotor 45, the holding rods 95, 96 are moved downward of the wafer W. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the state of the rotor 45 when loading and unloading wafers is seen from the side of the vertical wall 47b is as follows. The right side of the lower part of the wafer W and the left side of the lower part are respectively butted against the holding rods 95 and 96, and the right side of the central part and the left side of the central part of the wafer W which are symmetrical across the rotation center axis RO are respectively butted against the holding rods 97 and 98. The upper left side of W butts and holds bar 99. The holding bar 100 abuts against the upper right side of the wafer W. As shown in FIG.

In addition, 26 holding grooves 95 a , 96 a , 97 a , 98 a , 99 a are provided at equal intervals on each holding bar 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 . When the holding rods 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 hold the edge of the wafer W, the upper right side, upper left side, and center right side of the edge of the wafer W are respectively inserted into the holding grooves 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a. side, central left, lower right, lower left. In this way, a structure in which 26 wafers W are held in parallel and at equal intervals is formed.

First, the structure of the holding bar 95 holding the lower right side of the edge of the wafer W will be described. As shown in FIG. 3 , the disks 91 , 92 have arms 101 , 102 swingable relative to the disks 91 , 92 on the lower right side of the surface on the side of the holding space S3 . The holding rod 95 is supported at both ends by the arms 101, 102, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the rotor 45 taken along line II-II in FIG. 4 , showing the structure of the holding bars 95 , 97 , 100 . As shown in FIG. 5 , on the right side of the disc 91 , a connecting hole 104 penetrates below the center line in the horizontal direction, and a rotating connecting shaft 105 is arranged to be rotatable in the connecting hole 104 . The lower end (base end) of the balance load 110 is fixed to the rotation shaft 44 side of the rotation coupling shaft 105 . The upper end (base end) of the arm 101 is fixed to the holding space S3 side of the rotation coupling shaft 105 . In addition, the end of the holding rod 95 is fixed to the lower end (tip) of the arm 101 .

In addition, on the right side of the disk 92 , a connection hole 114 penetrates at a position below the center line in the horizontal direction, and a rotation connection shaft 115 is arranged so as to be rotatable in the connection hole 114 . Outside the holding space S3 , the lower end (base end) of the balance load 120 is fixed to the rotation coupling shaft 115 . The upper end (base end) of the arm 102 is fixed to the holding space S3 side of the rotation connection shaft 115 . In addition, the other end of the holding bar 95 is fixed to the lower end (tip) of the arm 102 .

If each front end of balance load 110,120 moves to the outside of disc 91,92 respectively, then the rotation connection shaft 105,115 rotates, and the front end of arm 101,102 moves to the inner side of disc 91,92 respectively, and retaining bar 95 and The edges of the wafer W are butted.

In addition, locking pins 133 and 134 respectively protrude from the outer surfaces of the holding spaces S3 of the disks 91 and 92 to prevent the balance loads 110 and 120 from moving outside beyond necessity. Thus, the holding bar 95 is not pressed against the edge of the wafer W with a force greater than necessary. In addition, it also works as a stopper for preventing the balance load from excessively opening to the outside and contacting the inner walls of the outer chamber 47 and the inner chamber 48 .

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a portion where the holding bar 95 is connected to the arm 102 . The holding bar 95 is composed of a holding groove member 140 in which 26 holding grooves 95 a are provided at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction, and an attachment member 142 supporting the holding groove member 140 . As shown in FIG. 6 , the end of the mounting member 142 is fixed to the front end of the arm 102 . Likewise, the other end of the mounting part 142 is fixed to the front end of the arm 101 . The retaining groove member 140 is attached to the attachment member 142 at multiple positions in the longitudinal direction by attachment screws 143 .

In FIG. 6, the holding groove 95a is provided on the upper surface of the holding groove member 140, has a substantially V-shaped cross-section, inserts the edge of the wafer W between the opposite slopes, and connects the edge corners of both sides of the wafer W to the slopes respectively. , hold the edge of wafer W.

A plurality of liquid cutting grooves 151 extending radially from the center of the wafer W are formed on the side surface of the holding groove member 140 . As shown in FIG. 11 , a liquid cutting groove 151 is formed to pass through the center and both ends of the mounting screw 143 , and a liquid cutting groove 152 connecting a plurality of liquid cutting grooves 151 in the horizontal direction is formed. Here, the liquid accumulated around the mounting screw 143 can be smoothly discharged from the liquid cutting groove 151 . In addition, liquid cutting grooves 151 and 152 are also formed on the contact surfaces of the holding groove member 140 and the mounting member 142 , and the liquid accumulated between the holding groove member 140 and the mounting member 142 is smoothly discharged from the liquid cutting groove 151 .

In FIG. 4 , the holding bar 96 on the lower left side holding the edge of the wafer W has a symmetrical structure with respect to the holding bar 95 centered on the vertical line VO. As shown in FIG. 3 , arms 101 , 102 that are swingable relative to the disks 91 , 92 are respectively disposed on the lower left side of the disks 91 , 92 similarly to the lower right sides thereof. The holding bar 96 is supported at both ends by arms 101, 102, respectively.

The balance loads 110 holding the rods 95 and 96 are movable to the outside and inside of the disc 91 by a switching mechanism (not shown) provided on the rotation shaft 44 side. In this way, in FIG. 4 , the holding rods 95 and 96 are configured to approach and separate from each other around the vertical line VO. The holding rods 95 and 96 are opened when the wafer W is loaded into the rotor 45 by the wafer moving mechanism 14 serving as a mechanism for loading and unloading the wafer W, and when the wafer W is ejected from the rotor 45 by the wafer moving mechanism 14 . The space between the holding rods 95 and 96 in the open state serves as a loading and unloading position for the wafer W. Also, when holding the wafer W inserted into the holding space S3, the holding bars 95, 96 are closed, and the lower right side and the lower left side of the wafer W are held by the holding bars 95, 96, respectively. In addition, the rotor 45 can be rotated with the holding bars 95 and 96 closed.

Since the holding rods 97, 98, and 99 have the same structure, the structure of the holding rod 97 will be described as an example. The holding bar 97 supporting the right side of the central portion of the wafer W shown in FIG. 4 is, as shown in FIG. On the outer peripheral portion of the holding bar 97 , 26 holding grooves 97 a for holding the edge of the wafer W are provided at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction of the holding bar 97 . Moreover, the holding groove 97a has a substantially V-shaped cross-section, inserts the edge of the wafer W between the slopes facing the substantially V-shape, and holds the edge corners of both sides of the wafer W in contact with the slopes, respectively.

In FIG. 4 , holding rods 98 and 99 respectively holding the upper left side of the edge of the wafer W and the left side of the central part are similar to the holding rod 97 shown in FIG. , On the left side of the upper part, 26 holding grooves 98a, 99a for holding the edge of the wafer W are respectively provided at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction on the outer peripheral part.

Next, the structure of the holding bar 100 as the above-mentioned pressing member will be described. The holding bar 100 is composed of 26 pressing blocks 160 arranged correspondingly to the 26 wafers W, butt against the edges of each wafer W to provide pressing force, and a fork 161 supporting each pressing block 160 . As shown in FIG. 5 , 26 pressing blocks 160 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the fork rod 161 in a state where the two side surfaces 165a, 165b of the pressing block main body 165 are butted, and the two ends of the fork rod 161 are fixed on a circle. Plates 91 and 92 are on.

As shown in FIG. 7 , a fork rod fitting hole 166 to be fitted with the fork rod 161 penetrates through the push member main body 165 of the push member 160 . Moreover, the stopper insertion hole 170 which inserts the stopper 168 which prevents the push block 160 from turning around the fork lever 161 penetrates therethrough.

In addition, a deformation portion 180 protruding from the pusher body 165 in a beam shape is formed. An abutting portion 182 abutting against the edge of the wafer W is provided at the front end of the deforming portion 180 . For example, the central axis of the deformation portion 180 is formed to be perpendicular to the central axis of the fork 161 . The cross-sectional shape of the deforming portion 180 is, for example, a rectangular shape with a width of about 5 mm and a height of about 1 mm. In addition, in FIG. 7B , the lower left outer peripheral surface of the push member main body 165 is formed as a curved surface, and is formed as an abutting surface 183 abutting against the edge surface of the wafer W. As shown in FIG.

In FIG. 7B , a holding groove 184 having a substantially V-shaped cross-section that opens downward is formed on the lower surface of the butting portion 182 . As shown in FIG. 7C , the edge of the wafer W is inserted between the substantially V-shaped inclined surfaces of the holding groove 184 , and the edge corners on both sides of the wafer W are held to contact the inclined surfaces.

As shown in FIG. 4 , pressing the stopper 160 arranges the abutting portion 182 and the abutting surface 183 on the rotor 45 toward the holding space S3 . In addition, when loading and unloading the wafer W shown in FIG. . That is, the abutting portion 182 is configured to abut against the vicinity of the upper end of the wafer W during loading and unloading. Here, the lower end of the holding space S3 is used to open and close the above-mentioned holding rods 95, 96 to load and withdraw the rotor 45 into and out of wafers. side. Here, when the wafer W is carried in from the lower part of the rotor 45, since the wafer W is raised from the loading and unloading position toward the docking portion 182, the edge of the wafer W can be smoothly inserted into the holding groove 184 from below. In addition, when the wafer is unloaded from the rotor 45 , since the wafer W is lowered toward the lower loading and unloading position of the rotor 45 , the edge of the wafer W can be smoothly pulled out downward from the holding groove 184 .

When the wafer W is lifted up and moved from the loading and unloading position, the edge of the wafer W is inserted into the holding groove 184, and the abutting portion 182 is pressed against the edge of the wafer W, and moves relative to the pressing block main body 165, causing deflection in the deforming portion 180. song. In addition, due to the deflection of the deforming portion 180 , a pressing force that the abutting portion 182 presses the edge of the wafer W toward the center of the wafer W is generated.

In addition, the pressing block 160 composed of the above-mentioned pressing block main body 165 , the deformation portion 180 , and the abutting portion 182 is integrally formed, and is, for example, made of PEEK (polyether ether ketone). Here, the push member 160 can have both sufficient chemical resistance and heat resistance required when the wafer W is processed with a chemical solution. In addition, by elastically deforming the deforming portion 180, a pressing force required for pressing the wafer W can be generated in the holding grooves 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a. In addition, it is possible to have a coefficient of static friction to such an extent that no misalignment occurs between the holding groove 184 of the butting portion 180 and the edge of the wafer W.

In addition, the push member main body 165 has a drain hole 190 through which liquid is drained from the periphery of the fork lever 161 . The drain hole 190 penetrates from the inner peripheral surface of the yoke fitting hole 166 to the outer peripheral surface of the push member main body 165 . When the rotor 45 is rotated, the liquid accumulated between the inner peripheral surface of the yoke fitting hole 166 and the yoke 161 can be discharged from the liquid discharge hole 190 to the outside of the rotor 45 by centrifugal force.

In addition, the push member main body 165 has a drain hole 192 for draining fluid from around the stopper 168 . The drain hole 192 penetrates from the inner peripheral surface of the stopper insertion hole 170 to the outer peripheral surface of the push member main body 165 . When the rotor 45 is rotated, the liquid accumulated between the inner peripheral surface of the stopper insertion hole 170 and the stopper 168 can be discharged to the outside of the rotor 45 from the drain hole 192 by centrifugal force.

In addition, in the illustrated example, the stopper insertion hole 170 is provided as a U-shaped groove opening on the inner peripheral surface of the yoke fitting hole 166 , and the drain hole 192 is opened inside the stopper insertion hole 170 . In addition, the stopper insertion hole 170 and the drain hole 192 are in communication with each other radially from the center of the yoke 161 . Therefore, the liquid discharge hole 192 can discharge the liquid in the fork fitting hole 166 by centrifugal force.

In addition, the push member body 165 has a drain hole 193 for discharging liquid from between the edge of the wafer W and the press member 160 by centrifugal force. In FIG. 7B , the drain hole 193 penetrates from the outer peripheral surface of the deformed portion 180 of the push member body 165 on the base end side to the upper surface of the push member 160 . In this way, the liquid is smoothly discharged from the space surrounded by the outer peripheral surface of the push member main body 165 , the outer peripheral surface of the deformation portion 180 , and the edge of the wafer W. As shown in FIG. When the rotor 45 is rotated, the liquid accumulated between the edge of the wafer W and the pressing stopper 160 can be discharged from the liquid discharge hole 193 to the outside of the rotor 45 by centrifugal force.

In addition, a plurality of drain holes 190, 192, 193 may also be provided. For example, a plurality of drain holes 190 may be provided in a plurality facing in a radial direction centering on the fork fitting hole 166 .

In addition, one or a plurality of discharge grooves 194 for discharging liquid from between adjacent push members 160 are engraved on both side surfaces 165 a and 165 b of the push member main body 165 . The discharge groove 194 is opened toward the radial direction centered on the fork fitting hole 166 , and is connected from the periphery of the fork fitting hole 166 to the outer edge of the pressing block body 165 . In the illustrated example, eight discharge grooves 194 are formed so as to extend in a radial direction centering on the fork fitting hole 166 . In addition, the discharge grooves 194 that press the side surfaces 165a, 165b of the stopper 160 are provided in a symmetrical form. That is, when a plurality of pressing blocks 160 are adjacent to each other and are supported by the fork bar 161, as shown in FIG. The discharge grooves 194 are adjacently connected to form a discharge path 197 . The liquid discharge path 197 penetrates from the fork rod 161 to the outer peripheral side of the push member main body 165 , and can discharge the liquid accumulated around the fork rod 161 .

As shown in FIG. 9 , a through hole 201 through which the fork lever 161 is inserted is provided on the upper right side of the disc 91 . On the outer surface side of the disk 91 that becomes the outer side of the holding space S3, a fixing member 204 that blocks the through hole 201 from the outer surface side of the disk 91 is arranged, and on the inner surface side of the disk 91 that becomes the holding space S3 side, a fixing member 204 that blocks the through hole 201 from the outer surface side of the disk 91 is arranged. The inner surface side of 91 closes the fixing member 205 of the through hole 201 . In addition, a fixing member 207 is arranged between the fixing member 205 and the pressing stopper 160 . The fork 161 passes through the inside of these fixing members 207 , 205 , and 204 and protrudes toward the outer side of the fixing member 204 . In addition, a cap nut 210 is screwed to the tip of the fork 161 protruding from the outer surface of the fixing member 204 . In addition, the front end of the stopper 168 is in contact with the inner surface of the fixing member 207 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 , the same through hole 201 , fixing member 204 , fixing member 205 , fixing member 207 , and cap nut 210 as the disk 91 are provided on the disk 92 .

If the cap nuts 210 provided on the discs 91, 92 are respectively tightened, the front end of the stopper 168 is fixed to the inner surface of the fixing member 207, and since the side surfaces 165a, 165b are pressed against each other, even if each deformation part 180 is flexed , also forming a state that each pressing block main body 165 is inactive relative to the fork rod 161 . On the other hand, if the cap nuts 210 are loosened, the position of the front end of the stopper 168 relative to the inner surface of the fixing member 207 can be changed, and the vertical inclination angle of the central axis of each deformation part 180 can be adjusted.

When processing the wafer W with increased rotational acceleration and rotational deceleration, the inclination angle of the central axis of each deforming portion 180 is changed in a direction in which the amount of deflection increases to increase the pressing force acting from the abutting portion 182 to the edge of the wafer W. In this way, since the edges of the wafer W are strongly pressed by the holding grooves 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a, and the abutting surface 183, the holding grooves 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a, The maximum static friction force between the surface 183 and the edge of the wafer W is set to a larger value, respectively. Therefore, the wafer W and the rotor 45 can be rotated integrally without misalignment between the edge of the wafer W, the holding grooves 184 , 95 a , 96 a , 97 a , 98 a , 99 a , and the abutment surface 183 . In this way, by setting the inclination angle of the central axis of each deforming portion 180 according to the maximum rotational acceleration or rotational deceleration during wafer W processing, it is possible to constantly carry out the adjustment between the edge of the wafer W and each of the holding grooves 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a, and the butt surface 183 do not produce offset treatment.

In addition, a slight gap is formed between each stopper insertion hole 170 and the stopper 168, and the inclination angle of the central axis of each deformation part 180 can be finely adjusted individually. In this way, for example, even if the shape of each deformation part 180 and the position and shape of each holding groove 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a, and butt surface 183 deviate, it is also possible to adjust the shape from each butt part 182 to each wafer through individual fine-tuning. The pressing force acting on the edge of W sets the maximum static frictional force against each wafer W to a predetermined value.

Next, a processing method of an embodiment using the substrate processing apparatus 12 configured as above will be described. First, the carrier C accommodating 26 wafers W is placed on the stage 20 , and the carrier C is carried into the cleaning processing unit 1 from the opening 26 by the carrier transfer mechanism 21 . In addition, the carrier waiting section 11 is made to wait for the carrier C, and the shutter 25 is closed to seal the opening 26 .

Thereafter, in the substrate processing apparatus 12 , the outer cylinder 47 c of the outer chamber 47 and the inner cylinder 48 c of the inner chamber 48 are retracted to positions surrounding the casing 46 . In addition, the holding rods 95 and 96 are moved to the open position by a driving cylinder (not shown), and the holding space S3 is opened.

Next, the wafer holding member 31 of the wafer moving mechanism 14 is moved up, the 26 wafers W are lifted from the carrier C by the wafer holding member 31, and the 26 wafers W are loaded into the holding space of the rotor 45 from between the holding rods 95, 96. Inside S3. Here, the edge of the wafer W is smoothly inserted from below into the holding groove 184 of the abutting portion 182 located near the upper end of the holding space S3, and the abutting portion 182 is pushed up by the upper end of the edge of the wafer W, so that bending deformation occurs in the deformed portion 180. status.

Thereafter, the holding rods 95, 96 are moved to the locked position by a switching mechanism not shown, the holding space S3 is closed, and the edge of the wafer W is inserted into the holding grooves 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a. , the wafer holding member 31 is lowered and retracted. In this way, 26 wafers W in the holding space S3 are arranged at appropriate intervals and held by the holding rods 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , and 100 . At this time, a force pressing the wafer W downward acts near the upper end of the wafer W held by the holding bar 100 . With this pressing force, the edge of the wafer W is pressed into the holding grooves 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a, 100a, and the wafer W is securely held so that there is no misalignment between the edge of the wafer W and the holding bars 95-100.

In addition, an outer cylinder 47c and an inner cylinder 48c are arranged outside the rotor 45 in which the wafer W is loaded, and as shown in FIG. .

Next, the rotation of the rotor 45 is started, and the rotor 45 is accelerated from a stationary state to a predetermined rotation speed. When the rotor 45 is accelerated in this way, the wafer W is pressed against the respective holding grooves 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 98a, 99a, and the abutting surface 183 because the abutting portion 182 of the holding rod 100 applies a pressing force to the edge of the wafer W. edge to inhibit slippage. In this way, the wafer W and the rotor 45 can be integrally rotated without misalignment between the edge of the wafer W and each of the holding rods 95 to 100 . On the other hand, the chemical solution is discharged from the discharge nozzle 71, and the chemical solution is sprayed on each rotating wafer W. In this way, contamination such as particles and organic pollutants adhering to the wafer W is removed.

After the chemical solution treatment, the wafer W is rotated at a higher speed than that during the chemical solution treatment, and the chemical solution adhering to the wafer W is removed by centrifugal force. Here, the drug solution and particles adhering to the holding rod 100 are smoothly discharged from the discharge holes 190 , 192 , 193 and the discharge path 197 by the centrifugal force. In addition, liquids such as chemical liquids and rinsing liquids adhering to the holding rods 95, 96 are smoothly discharged from the liquid cutting grooves 151, 152 by centrifugal force. Thus, the throw-off process can be effectively performed. In addition, when the rotor 45 is accelerated to rotate at a higher speed than that during chemical liquid treatment, since the abutting portion 182 provides a pressing force to the edge of the wafer W, no deviation can occur between the edge of the wafer W and the holding rods 95 to 100. Rotate while moving.

After the spin-off treatment, the inner cylinder 48c is withdrawn from the inner side of the outer cylinder 47c to the outer side of the outer casing 46 to form a treatment space S1 in the outer chamber 47 . Next, pure water is discharged from the discharge nozzle 61, and the pure water is sprayed on each wafer W to perform a rinse process. During the rinsing process, the rotor 45 is rotated at a lower speed than that during the spin-off process. When the rotor 45 is decelerated from high-speed rotation to low-speed rotation during the spin-off process, since the abutting portion 182 provides a pressing force to the edge of the wafer W, no deviation can be generated between the edge of the wafer W and each of the holding rods 95-100. Rotate while moving.

After the rinsing process, the wafer W is rotated at a higher speed than that during the rinsing process, for example, while rotating at 800 rpm, while blowing an inert gas such as nitrogen or IPA vapor with high volatility and hydrophilicity on the wafer W to perform Dry processing. When transferring from the rinsing process to the spin-drying process, when the rotor 45 is accelerated from low-speed rotation to high-speed rotation, since the butt joint 182 provides a pressing force to the edge of the wafer W, it is possible to hold the edge of the wafer W and each of the holding rods 95-100. Rotate without causing any misalignment. During the drying process, liquids such as chemical liquid and rinse liquid adhering to the holding rod 100 are smoothly discharged from the liquid discharge holes 190 , 192 , 193 and the liquid discharge path 147 by centrifugal force. In addition, liquids such as chemical liquids and rinsing liquids adhering to the holding rods 95, 96 are smoothly discharged from the liquid cutting grooves 151, 152 by centrifugal force. Thus, drying treatment can be effectively performed.

After the drying process is completed, the rotation of the rotor 45 is stopped. Also at this time, since the abutting portion 182 applies a pressing force to the edge of the wafer W, it is possible to decelerate and stop without misalignment between the edge of the wafer W and each of the holding rods 95 to 100 . In addition, the outer cylinder 47c is evacuated to a position surrounding the inner cylinder 48c and the casing 46, and the wafer holding member 31 is moved up to support the wafer W held by the rotor 45 below. Next, the holding rods 95 and 96 are moved to the open position by a switching mechanism not shown, and the wafer W is transferred to the wafer holding member 31 . Next, the wafer W is evacuated from the holding space S3 by moving the wafer holding member 31 downward. At this time, since the abutting portion 182 abutting against the upper edge of the wafer W inserts the edge of the wafer W into the holding groove 184 from below, when the wafer W is lowered, the edge of the wafer W can be pulled out of the holding groove 184 smoothly.

In this way, the wafer W carried out from the substrate processing apparatus 12 is accommodated again in the carrier C on the carrier waiting section 11 and carried out from the cleaning processing unit 1 .

According to the related substrate processing apparatus 12, a pressing force is applied to the edge of the wafer W to prevent the edge of the wafer W from slipping in each holding groove 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 97a, 98a, 99a during rotation. In addition, when the wafer W rotates up and down, a pressing force is always applied to the edge of the wafer W to prevent slippage. Thus, the edge of the wafer W is not chipped. In addition, since wear of the holding grooves 184, 95a, 96a, 97a, 97a, 98a, and 99a can be suppressed, the life of the holding bars 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, and 100 can be extended. In addition, since the inclination angle of the pressing block 160 supported by the fork bar 161 can be adjusted individually, it can be adjusted so as to provide an optimum pressing force for each edge of the wafer W. The edge of the wafer W can be smoothly inserted into and removed from the holding groove 184 .

In addition, by making the pressing stoppers from PEEK, a sufficient pressing force can be generated so that the wafer W does not shift, and it can also be combined with sufficient chemical resistance required for the holding rod by the substrate processing apparatus when performing chemical liquid processing. and heat resistance.

An example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the substrate is not limited to a semiconductor wafer, and may be glass for an LCD substrate, a CD substrate, a printed circuit board, a ceramic substrate, or the like. In addition, the present invention is not limited to providing a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for cleaning a substrate with a chemical solution, and may also be a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method for performing other processing on a substrate other than cleaning by using other various processing liquids.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the pressing member 160 is arranged such that the abutting portion 182 is located on the right side of the wafer W more right than the pressing member main body 165 . Here, as shown in FIG. 11 , it is preferable to provide a guide portion 220 . A guide groove 222 having a substantially V-shaped cross section is formed in the guide portion 220 , and the edge of the wafer W can be inserted between the substantially V-shaped inclined surfaces of the guide groove 222 . The guide portion 220 is formed on the front end side ahead of the abutting portion 182 , and is disposed below the abutting portion 182 in FIG. 10 . In this way, when inserting the wafer W from below, the edge of the wafer W first abuts against the guide portion 220 , and the edge of the wafer W can be smoothly guided into the holding groove 184 of the abutting portion 182 .

Rather than forming a plurality of pressing members 160 individually, as shown in FIG. The pressing member 225 has a plurality of deformation portions 180 corresponding to the number of wafers W protruding in a beam shape from the main body 227 penetrating the fork fitting hole 166 , and a butting portion 182 is provided at the front end of each deformation portion 180 . In addition, a plurality of drain holes 193 for draining liquid from between the edge of the wafer W and the pressing member 225 by centrifugal force are provided in parallel. Stopper insertion holes 231 into which stoppers 230 are inserted are respectively provided at both ends of the yoke fitting hole 166 . When a plurality of pressing members 160 are individually formed, compared with the pressing member 225, the machining accuracy can be easily improved. Thus, the manufacturing cost of the holding rod 95 can be reduced. In addition, the pressing force acting on the edge of each wafer W can be individually adjusted. On the other hand, in the case of the pressing member 225 , there is an advantage in that it is difficult to accumulate liquid around the fork 161 , and there is no need to provide a drain path for discharging the liquid accumulated around the fork 161 .

In this embodiment, the case where one of the holding rods 95 to 100 has a structure as a pressing member has been described. Of course, other holding rods may also have the same structure as a pressing member, or a new addition as a pressing member may be used. Component retention rod structure.

According to the present invention, by providing a pressing force to the edge of the substrate, the edge of the substrate during rotation is prevented from slipping in the holding groove. Thus, the edge of the wafer W is not chipped. In addition, the life of the holding rod can be extended. In addition, it can be individually adjusted so that the optimum pressing force acts on the edge of the substrate. The edge of the substrate can be smoothly inserted and removed from the holding groove.

Claims (20)

1. A substrate processing apparatus having a rotor for rotating a plurality of substrates arranged in parallel at appropriate intervals, and processing the substrate while rotating the substrate by the rotor, characterized in that: The rotor has at least one holding member for holding the edges of the plurality of substrates arranged in parallel and at least one pressing member for providing and holding a pressing force to the edges of the substrates, The pressing member always applies a pressing force to the edge of the substrate both when the rotor is stationary and when it is rotating, and keeps no misalignment between the edge of the substrate and the holding members. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The pressing member has a plurality of pressing members respectively arranged corresponding to the plurality of substrates, and a fork lever supporting the plurality of pressing members in parallel. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The above-mentioned pressing block has an abutting portion abutting against the edge of the above-mentioned substrate and an elastically deformable deformation portion, By pressing and moving the abutting portion against the edge of the substrate, deflection occurs in the deformation portion, and the pressing force acts. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: A substantially V-shaped groove is formed in the abutting portion, and the edge of the substrate is inserted into and held in the groove. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The abutting portion has a coefficient of friction such that misalignment does not occur between the edge of the substrate and each of the holding members. 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: It is comprised so that the amount of said deflection can be adjusted. 7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The abutting portion is provided on a side opposite to a position where the substrate is carried in and out of the rotor. 8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: The press stopper further has a guide portion that guides the edge of the substrate before the V-shaped groove guides the edge of the substrate to the abutting portion. 9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The above-mentioned pressing block also has an abutting surface abutting against the edge of the above-mentioned substrate. 10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pressing stopper has at least one liquid discharge hole through which liquid is discharged from the periphery of the fork by centrifugal force as the rotor rotates. 11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: A stopper is provided to limit the rotation of the above-mentioned pressing stopper. 12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: The pressing member has at least one drain hole through which liquid is discharged from the periphery of the brake by centrifugal force as the rotor rotates. 13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pressing member has at least one drain hole through which liquid is discharged from between the edge of the substrate and the pressing member by centrifugal force as the rotor rotates. 14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: Side surfaces of the plurality of push members are brought into contact with each other and supported side by side, and each side surface has at least one discharge groove for discharging liquid from around the fork lever. 15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that: The above-mentioned pressing block has drug resistance to liquid medicine. 16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The above-mentioned push stopper has heat resistance. 17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The holding member is provided in plurality, and at least one of the holding members is a movable holding member so as to obtain an open state in which the substrate can be carried in and out of the rotor and a closed state in which the substrate can be held in the rotor. . 18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: The pressing member is provided at a position facing the movable holding member across the center of the rotor. 19. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The pressing member has a fork extending in the direction in which the plurality of substrates are arranged, and a pressing piece fitted with the fork, The pressing piece has a cylindrical main body surrounding the fork lever and extending in a direction in which the substrates are arranged, and a plurality of deformation portions protruding from the main body corresponding to the plurality of substrates and elastically deforming the main body. 20. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein: The main body has an abutting surface that abuts against the edge of the substrate, and the deformation portion has an abutting portion that presses the edge of the substrate at its front end.

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